30 years ago america's cable companies created c-span as a public service, a private business initiative. no private mandate, no government money. >> this week on q&a, our guest is frank rich. >> for those who do not read your column on sundays in "the new york times" give us an overview. >> icing we live in a world of the enormous transition, not just transition from one kind of presidential administration to a very different one, but obviously one in economic transition with a lot of the unquestioned rules of our economy being up for grabs. also, in the case of america, a social transition is -- as the party -- country becomes more of another minority dominated party. >> how long have you been writing your column? >> that is a good question. i am guessing about 10 years. maybe even longer. i am terrible about dates. >> 1999. i guess that is about 10 years. you have been in politics for about 10 years? >> i have been in politics since early 1994. >> not many people write one column zero weeks. have you approached this? >> it is completely different from doing good twice a week column th